Pulled beaver sets today. I had a #4 long spring down the slide rod is some fast moving water when I pulled it up, this rat was munched on. Head was held on by the hide a front leg also. Thinking turtle or maybe a owl worked on it in the shallows then took it down the slide when it tried to take off with it. There is a owl nest in the same tree belt the creek is on.

Turtles only feed when the water is warm.

I see a few turtles out on the logs painted ones mostly just can’t figure what could feed in that swift water under water, it could be that owl just the rats don’t move the #4s very far on their own.

maybe otter ?

That would be cool but not here some at the East end of the State.

dang law hound figured you would know crawdads did it

Pretty rare here and the water was moving fast they would be swept away with the current.

That damage was done before the rat went down the rod.

Could be almost skinned out like a mink would do, the head cut at the neck reminded me of a owl just out in the swift water and moving the trap that far.

Mink work. Rat was partially in the water and working its way down the slide as the mink got what it could.

Back in february I had a beaver in a drowner and when i pulled it up the beaver was just a shell and i dumped 2 turtles out of the carcass. Wasnt rotten, they had torn a hole in the throat and cleaned the inside of the beaver out. All sorts of fish and other turtles all around the bottom where the beaver was.

water was still cold enough i didnt reset the trap that day.